The Haiti NCDI Poverty Commission

Gene Kwan

Dr. Kwan is a cardiologist and global health researcher developing expertise in the intersection between these two fields. His research stems from experience in the field in rural Rwanda and Haiti since 2008 in collaboration with local Ministries of Health and the non-governmental organizations Partners In Health and Zanmi Lasante. His research has helped determine that heart failure in rural Rwanda and Haiti is generally from endemic causes (as opposed to coronary heart disease) and a leading cause of hospitalization. In addition, his team demonstrated that nurse-directed management improves control of blood pressure for patients with hypertension and improves symptoms for those with heart failure.

In completing his Master in Public Health coursework at the Harvard School of Public Health, he has learned techniques in study design and quantitative methods. While a Fellow in the Research Career Development Program in Vascular Medicine (K12, NIH/NHLBI) he continued his academic pursuits with projects in Haiti, Rwanda, Bangladesh and Jordan. He is one of the principal authors of the implementation guide and clinician handbook The Partners In Health Guide to Chronic Care Integration for Endemic Non-Communicable Diseases. He continues to serve as an Advisor for Non-Communicable Diseases at Partners In Health in Boston, Haiti and Rwanda.

Jean Ronald Cadet

Dr. Jean Ronald Cadet is a trained physician in public health and epidemiology of intervention. His work is primarily concerned with health programs at the central and departmental levels of NGOs and the MSPP. Currently he is a technical advisor to the General Director of the MSPP.

Dr. Cadet has contributed to public health programs in Haiti including monitoring and evaluation of activities, HIV/AIDS programs, and the Expanded Program on Immunization, Water and Sanitation in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods. Dr. Cadet has research interests in haitian traditional medicine. He has participated in several studies including an ethno-botanical survey in the departments of the North-East and Center of Haiti; an investigation of local knowledge in traditional medicine in the management of hypertension; and a study on the palliative treatment of sickle cell anemia by Haitian medicinal plants.

Marie-Nancy Charles Larco

Nancy Larco is a doctor, physician, internist, trained in metabolic diseases, diabetes educator, published author and lecturer with focus on diabetology and endocrinology. In 1988, Larco has been assigned to supervisor of diabetes clinics and since 2010, she is the executive director of the Fondation Haitienne de Diabete et de Maladies Cardio-Vasculaires (FHADIMAC). Being a committed advocate in the global campaign against diabetes, she became the coordinator of events such as World Diabetes Day, Month of FHADIMAC, camps for children and young adults with diabetes and their parents or “Journees de Diabetologie et d’Urgences endocriniennes” which are yearly trainings for all medical levels. Because of her professional experience she has conducted projects with World Diabetes Foundation (WDF), Americares, Minister of Health of Haiti (MSPP), Life for A Child (LFAC), Insulin for Life (IFL), Helmsley Trust and many more. Thanks to Dr Larco’s initiative, IDF’s Life For A Child program was implemented in Haiti, currently supporting almost 220 children and young adults.

The most critical moment in her life was probably the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, which was one of the worst humanitarian disasters in recent history. During the disaster, FHADIMAC was housing the only dedicated diabetes clinic in Haiti, which was not destroyed by the earthquake and Dr Larco has worked tirelessly to safe thousands of diabetes patients in desperate need of medicine and intensive care. For her outstanding work in Haiti after the earthquake, Larco received an award from the International Diabetes Federation in 2012 at Dubai.

In 2011, Dr Larco was decorated by the Rotary Club for the enormous work she had been doing for Haitian people affected with Diabetes and Cardiovascular diseases.

Presently, Dr Larco is an ambassador for FHADIMAC, lobbying and looking for grants and sponsors for the erection of a referral center (Center of Excellency), the one stop center with the model for care of chronic diseases.